With hundreds of TV channels and scheduled programs from which to choose, together with personal video recorder (PVR)-recorded shows, pay-per-view (PPV), video-on-demand (VOD) and other content, TV viewers and other content users are faced with a nearly overwhelming choice of entertainment and other content options.
In response, various electronic or interactive programming guide (EPG/IPG) systems have been proposed or developed to enhance TV viewers' ability to navigate through and select programming. Examples of such systems are set forth in the following U.S. and foreign patent documents, among others, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in their entirety here:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,177,931Alexander et al.U.S. Pat. No. 6,163,316KillianU.S. Pat. No. 6,005,597Barrett et al.WO 0049801A1Yuen et al.WO 0033224A1Yuen
Most EPG systems are capable of generating on-screen displays of content, some in a time- and channel-based grid format. While such displays have utility, they generally do not enable users to quickly and easily find content of interest. If a viewer decides, during viewing of a first television show, that he or she is interested in alternatives, the viewer must use the remote control buttons to leave the show he or she is presently viewing and direct the system to display a list of alternatives. The viewer must therefore interrupt his or her enjoyment of the presently viewed content in order to see (or even become generally aware of) one or more alternatives.
In addition, since alternatives are not presented during viewing of the television show, the viewer must actively decide that he or she is interested in alternatives (even without knowing what alternatives are available), in order to see even a listing of alternatives.
Finally, many on-screen displays typical of the prior art (such as that shown in FIG. 2 herein) are relatively complex and potentially daunting to many viewers—and if not generated with reference to a recommendation process, populated by content of little or no interest to the viewer.
It is therefore desirable to provide methods, devices and systems that enable viewers to see descriptions of alternative content without leaving their currently-viewed television shows, and without the necessity of additional button pushes or other user interaction.
It is also desirable to provide such methods, devices and systems that constantly display a relatively simple and compact selection of alternative content, wherein the user can obtain additional information quickly and easily.
It is also desirable to provide such displays based on top recommendations of content likely to be of greatest interest to the current viewer.